Chapter: 2403 - Killing
Zhang Ruochen's true body sat by the lake, like an old monk in meditation, but his consciousness had entered the Qiankun Realm.
Standing beneath the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, Zhang Ruochen's gaze fixed on the sword-shaped esoterica mark on the trunk, and he called out, "Empress, I have won first place in the Heaven Hunting Battle. May I see you?"
The sword-shaped esoterica mark was left by Qiangu Nüdi, containing a strand of her spiritual will within it.
When he called out her name, Qiangu Nüdi's true body on Purple Scarf Island immediately sensed it. The next moment, one of her divine thoughts crossed time and space, descending into the Qiankun Realm.
Qiangu Nüdi was peerless and unmatched. Although this was merely a divine thought, the aura it radiated was like the midday sun.
Zhang Ruochen's expression was blank, neither sorrowful nor joyful, as he said, "I have obtained the Fate Heavenly Token and can give it to you now. As for the Fate Esoterica, it has not yet been bestowed upon me, likely because my attainment in the Way of Fate is too low to bear the power of the esoterica."
"Without the Fate Esoterica, what use is the Fate Heavenly Token? Zhang Ruochen, you must have another purpose in seeing me, right? Speak quickly; I cannot stay here long," Qiangu Nüdi said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Back when I agreed to participate in the Heaven Hunting Battle to seize the Fate Heavenly Token and Fate Esoterica for you to study, the Empress promised to give me a Wujian Token."
"That's right. Every Wujian Token I give out is because I owe a great debt. That is why, whenever a cultivator comes to me with a Wujian Token, I will do one thing for them," Qiangu Nüdi said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Anything?"
"To the ends of the earth and the depths of the underworld, no matter how difficult or dangerous, I will go without hesitation," Qiangu Nüdi said, her tone firm, her divine voice vast and mighty.
Zhang Ruochen said, "I want that Wujian Token now."
Qiangu Nüdi was immensely wise. The moment Zhang Ruochen spoke, she had already vaguely guessed his intention.
"There's no need to give you the Wujian Token. Just tell me directly what you want me, the Pavilion Master, to do for you," Qiangu Nüdi said, her tone becoming formal. She paused, then added, "But you'd better think carefully. Do you really want to use this opportunity now?"
Zhang Ruochen clasped his hands and bowed slightly, saying, "I have thought it through very clearly. I ask the Empress to help me kill someone, and it must be done within five days."
"Who?" Qiangu Nüdi asked.
Zhang Ruochen's lips moved slightly as he transmitted a name.
After hearing it, Qiangu Nüdi stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen and said, "You are putting me in a difficult position."
Zhang Ruochen said, "This is my only request."
"Killing someone in the Fate Divine Domain would easily alert the gods of the Destiny Temple. Moreover, the person you want to kill is protected by the power of twelve God Venerables. The moment we strike, it will be known to beings at the God Venerable level, causing earth-shattering waves. In the entire Hell Realm, I fear no cultivator would dare to do this."
Zhang Ruochen said, "But that doesn't include the Empress, right?"
Qiangu Nüdi was silent for a long time before saying, "Killing her is not difficult. However, at this critical juncture of rescuing Tai Shang, I am unwilling to do something that would alert the enemy. Even less do I want the God Venerables of the Destiny Temple to know that I have come to the Fate Divine Domain."
Zhang Ruochen said, "The Empress once said, 'To the ends of the earth and the depths of the underworld.'"
Qiangu Nüdi shook her head gently, her gaze stern, and said, "I know what you want to do, but this matter is extremely dangerous. It is equivalent to opposing the will of a God Venerable, even challenging fate itself. Are you mentally prepared for the possibility of failure and death?"
"I am very clear about what I am doing," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Very well. Within five days, the Wujian Pavilion will surely kill her."
Qiangu Nüdi's divine thought dissipated, leaving Zhang Ruochen standing alone beneath the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree, his figure desolate, but his gaze sharp and resolute.
Over the next five days, Zhang Ruochen activated the Sundial in the Hanhai Manor and used the Purifying Divine Flame to refine one war artifact after another, including the Ten-Thousand Curse Heavenly Bead he had taken from Wujiang.
The One-Yuan Monarch Sacred Artifact he had seized from the Heaven Hunting Battlefield was brought out and given to the Abyssal Ancient Sword to absorb and refine.
The king-level inscriptions within the Abyssal Ancient Sword grew rapidly, exceeding three hundred thousand, reaching the critical point for advancing to a Three-Yuan Monarch Sacred Artifact.
Five days later.
Blood Qi, Blood Chen, and Blood Ningxiao, the three most outstanding young Great Saints of the Blood Absolute Family in this generation, arrived at the Hanhai Manor. They stood in the distance, watching Zhang Ruochen enveloped in the Divine Fire Domain.
Blood Ningxiao's beautiful eyes flickered as she said, "Cousin Ruochen is too diligent. The Heaven Hunting Battle has just ended in a great victory, and everyone is immersed in celebration, but he remains unaffected, still choosing to cultivate and improve himself. He is truly worth learning from."
Blood Qi said, "The more powerful a person is, the stronger their sense of crisis."
Blood Chen said, "Today is the day of his engagement to Princess Luo Sha. Cultivators from all major forces have already gathered at the Fortune Divine Palace. He is the protagonist of tonight and absolutely cannot be late."
"I'll go."
Blood Qi approached the edge of the Divine Fire Domain, feeling the waves of heat rushing toward him. He bowed and said, "Great Saint Ruochen, the hour is already late. We should set out."
At the center of the fire domain, Zhang Ruochen withdrew his war artifacts one by one, while the flames turned into twisting flood dragons that burrowed into his body.
Only then did everyone see clearly that he was clad in the crimson Flame God Armor, with the quasi-Supreme Sacred Artifact Divine Dragon White Bone Whip around his waist, the Ten-Thousand Curse Heavenly Bead hanging from his neck, the Seven-Star Ghost Lotus in his palm, the Mountain-Hiding Demon Mirror floating at the position of his heart, and on either side of his waist hung the Purple Gold Gourd and the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
Such a display of power made even the other Great Saints present dare not look directly at him.
Blood Qi looked at Zhang Ruochen's array of supreme treasures, swallowing a mouthful of saliva silently, thinking to himself, It's just an engagement. Does he really need to reveal so many Supreme Sacred Artifacts?
Too ostentatious.
Though ostentatious, it was truly enviable.
Blood Chen's thoughts were completely different from Blood Qi's. His brows were tightly furrowed. He could feel a killing intent from Zhang Ruochen. His state was very off; it didn't seem like he was going to an engagement, but rather like he was going to kill someone.
Carrying all his war artifacts on him wasn't about showing off, but about taking the person he was about to kill very seriously.
Blood Chen said cautiously, "The betrothal gifts have already been prepared. We can set out for the Fortune Divine Palace now."
"Mm."
Zhang Ruochen responded and took the lead in walking out.
Outside the Hanhai Manor, a long convoy of carriages was parked, pulled by Saint King-level bone giant beasts, loaded with all kinds of treasures.
Zhang Ruochen didn't bother checking the betrothal gifts. Accompanied by his maid Lianxi, he boarded the Seven-Star Divine Palace.
Blood Chen and Blood Qi, each riding a Great Saint-level Fire Lord Beast, led the way. Eighteen Six-Calamity Ghost Kings carried the Seven-Star Divine Palace, following closely behind.
The news of the God Venerable's marriage decree had already spread throughout the Hell Realm.
As the Blood Absolute Family's betrothal procession passed by, it drew the onlooking and discussion of countless Hell Realm cultivators. Many eyes were filled with envy.
"Princess Luo Sha is stunningly beautiful, the goddess that every man of the Rakshasa Clan dreams of marrying. Yet, in the end, she is marrying Zhang Ruochen."
"With Zhang Ruochen's talent, he is a peerless figure of our Undying Blood Clan. He is worthy of Princess Luo Sha."
A cultivator from the Undying Blood Clan said in a low voice, "I think Zhang Ruochen might not want to marry Princess Luo Sha. It's just that the God Venerable's marriage decree forced him to agree."
"How is that possible? Princess Luo Sha is so beautiful. How could Zhang Ruochen not want to marry her?"
That Undying Blood Clan cultivator shook his head and said, "Princess Luo Sha is beautiful, but does Zhang Ruochen lack beauties by his side? Fairy Lianxi, Xia Yu—aren't they all top-tier stunning women? It is said that Princess Luo Sha is very skilled in her methods. Once Zhang Ruochen marries her, how could he still be as carefree and happy as he is now?"
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual power was strong, so he could naturally hear those discussions.
But he paid them no mind. He simply held the Abyssal Ancient Sword and used the white silk cloth Lianxi handed him to repeatedly wipe the blade.
Then, he took out a piece of divine stone the size of a human head and began sharpening the sword on it.
"Ssshhh."
The sword's edge scraped against the divine stone, sending sparks flying.
The Mountain-Hiding Demon Mirror, the Purple Gold Gourd, and other Supreme Sacred Artifacts all possessed immense power, but whenever faced with a major decision, Zhang Ruochen preferred to use the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
Gripping the sword's hilt gave him a feeling of connection through bloodlines. No matter how restless his heart, it could instantly become calm.
Zangjin Baihu could sense that as Zhang Ruochen sharpened the sword, the killing intent on him grew stronger, his momentum building, and the aura he emitted became sharp and fierce.
Zangjin Baihu said, "On such a joyous day of engagement, why must you kill?"
"Ssshhh."
The sparks flying from the sword's edge grew brighter.
Zangjin Baihu added, "If you kill someone today, your motive will be too obvious. It will arouse suspicion."
"Under normal circumstances, of course, it would be suspicious," Zhang Ruochen said.
Zangjin Baihu said, "Then when is it not normal?"
"When the heart demon invades, Zhang Ruochen loses his reason and turns into a demon," Zhang Ruochen said.
Lianxi stood to one side, feeling the tangible killing intent radiating from Zhang Ruochen. He seemed like a peerless god of slaughter, making her heart race uncontrollably.
Zhang Ruochen in this state was utterly terrifying.
Zhang Ruochen no longer suppressed the heart demon, letting it erupt wildly. The pupils of his eyes gradually turned red, as red as drops of blood.
"Boom."
Spreading his ten wings, Zhang Ruochen grabbed the Abyssal Ancient Sword and flew out of the Seven-Star Divine Palace, tearing through the air.
Ahead of the Seven-Star Divine Palace, Blood Qi and Blood Chen, seated on the Fire Lord Beasts, were sent tumbling sideways by the blood fiend aura surging from him. The two landed on the ground, staring in shock at the direction Zhang Ruochen had flown.
"Such strong killing intent. What does he want to do?" Blood Qi said, his expression grave.
Today was the day of the engagement. Countless major figures were already waiting at the Fortune Divine Palace, including beings at the god level. Was Zhang Ruochen daring to flee the marriage?
If he fled, he would not only offend the Tianluo Divine Kingdom's royal family but also the Fortune God Venerable.
Blood Chen said, "The betrothal procession cannot stop. Continue forward."
Immediately, Blood Chen inscribed two Message Light Talismans and sent them flying.
The Fortune Divine Palace was one of the twelve divine palaces of the Destiny Temple, located on the Fortune Floating Island about ninety thousand miles from the Fate Divine Mountain. Normally, the Fortune Floating Island was completely hidden in space, invisible to any cultivator except gods.
Today, the Fortune Divine Palace had manifested, suspended in the sky, radiating dazzling light.
Below the divine palace was a cluster of palaces built on a lake, with red walls and green tiles, shrouded in divine mist, stretching for a thousand miles. This was the outer hall of the Fortune Divine Palace, the cultivation ground for all saint-level disciples.
The place where Zhang Ruochen and Luo Sha were to be engaged was here, in this outer hall.
As dusk fell, the area was brightly lit and bustling with activity.
Cultivators from all ten clans had come to attend the engagement banquet. The Undying Blood Clan was ferocious, the Ghost Clan was eerie, the Stone Clan was bizarre, the Underworld Clan was mysterious... The banquets of the Hell Realm were always filled with the scent of blood and terror. The food at the feast often included human heads, soul food, infant corpses, and blood.
Luo Sha wore a red dress embroidered with a hundred phoenix poses using phoenix feathers, with jade hairpins in her hair.
Though she usually wore no makeup, today she had drawn her eyebrows and painted her lips. Walking among the terrifying Rakshasa, Ghost Kings, and skeletal corpse cultivators, she looked exceptionally radiant and moving.
Seeing the flesh and blood of human cultivators placed on the banquet tables, she frowned and said in a deep voice, "Didn't I already instruct you? Great Saint Ruochen has half-human blood. Tonight's engagement banquet must not have any food related to humans."
Two Rakshasa women immediately knelt in fear.
One of them trembled as she said, "Forgive us, Princess. This... this was ordered by the Divine Prince. We told him, but... but the Divine Prince said he simply dislikes Great Saint Ruochen and did this deliberately."
Luo Sha said, "Don't listen to him. Remove it immediately. Remember, this is Great Saint Ruochen's taboo. Don't make this mistake again, or I will not be lenient. I will speak to my royal brother personally."
The two Rakshasa women repeatedly acknowledged and hurriedly withdrew.
Luo Sha lifted her fair head, gazing at the fully darkened night sky. Her mind couldn't help but recall the words Zhang Ruochen had spoken beneath the Fate Divine Mountain, and a faint, happy smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.
Suddenly, she felt as if she were being watched by a pair of eyes. She turned her face to the right.
A hundred zhang away, Bore was also dressed in a red gown.
The two women locked eyes.
Luo Sha was a clever and perceptive woman. With just one glance, her feminine intuition detected an unusual emotion in Bore's eyes.
"This Princess Bore looks calm on the surface, but why do I sense a hint of hostility? No, it's envy. No, it's sorrow. That doesn't seem right either. Why is her gaze so complicated? What secret is she hiding?"
When Luo Sha looked toward Bore again, the spot was already empty.
...
Zhang Ruochen flew for who knows how long before slowing down and descending to the bank of a blood-red river.
This river connected to the lake at the outer hall of the Fortune Divine Palace. It was a hundred zhang wide, with a swift current and a pervasive bloody aura. Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes, listening to the flow of water and the splashing waves.
After waiting about a quarter of an hour, a massive warship sailed down the blood-red river.
At the bow of the ship stood a black flag, imprinted with the words "Yama."
Zhang Ruochen suddenly opened his eyes. Ten-thousand-zhang blood light shot from his pupils, raising waves over ten zhang high on the river. His deep voice rang out, "Yan Wushen, haven't you always wanted to fight me? Today, right here, we will settle this once and for all and decide who is the strongest of this era."
"This battle will determine victory and defeat, and also life and death."
"Boom."
The surging waves crashed into the high-speed warship, forcing it to a halt.